early years

Role play is a magical part of the early years foundation stage and beyond. Most EYFS practitioners will be familiar with the magic of a role play corner, but why exactly is it so important in the EYFS, and how can it be used to best promote the development of our little ones? Read on to find out. The benefits...

Physical development is an incredibly fundamental part of the Early Years Foundation Stage. While supporting physical development naturally permeates through the entire nursery or school day, from outdoor play to fine motor skills, there are lots of ways to target this area specifically, too! With the exciting hook of the Paris 2024 Olympics, there is ample opportunity this year to...

We know that creating an enabling environment in the early years is key, that's why it's one of the principles underpinning the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. The importance of this lies in fostering a sense of safety so children feel confident and safe to explore, play and learn. We'd suggest that you start by carrying out...

When creating an enabling environment in the Early Years, quiet spaces are a must. In this blog, we explore the need for quiet spaces and how they link to learning and development in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Why quiet spaces are important in the EYFS With more and more children being diagnosed with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN...

In our last post we shared our ultimate tips for a fantastic tuff tray set up, along with sharing the incredibly variety we offer here at Cosy in terms of the trays themselves. This week we're taking things a a step further and showcasing our fantastic range of tuff tray enhancements: think tuff tray mats, tuff tray stands, tuff tray...

If you've been around in early years for a moment, you are likely to be very familiar with the humble (or not so humble!) tuff tray, or tuff spot. Coming in a variety of colours, shapes and sizes, tuff spots (or tuff trays) are ideal for young learners, allowing plenty of space for exciting resources, movement, and messy play. We're...

Books really are a fantastic resource, aren't they?! We love how they can be used in many ways to promote learning and development in a child-friendly way. With educators thinking ahead to the start of the new school year, it's a good time to focus on the power of books in helping children to navigate the transition as they start...

A Mud Kitchen is a must in an early years setting. Children love to create their own dishes with natural treasures, such as mud, flowers, herbs, stones and sticks. Add recipe cards and create an area where children can be engaged and involved in their play for a long period of time. With an array of mud kitchens to choose...

We know that reading helps pupils to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually and socially. We also know that phonics is a key element in helping children to become successful readers. Phonics is a method that helps children decode words using phonemes. Before we get to the fun part, let’s cover some basic terminology. Phonics outdoors Phonics - Phonics teaches children to listen...

What are they and why are they important? Pre-writing patterns bridge mark-making and letter formation. They take children from more free movement in their mark-making to more controlled movements and movements which mimic the strokes required for writing letters later on down the line. When should they be introduced? Ideally when a child is beginning to show some control over...